Cold case investigators used additional DNA analysis to identify Jill Maiorca, whose remains were discovered beneath a Big Bear Lake residence in 2020.
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — A Southern California man has been charged with murder nearly two decades after his former wife disappeared, following a cold case investigation that identified human remains found beneath a Big Bear Lake home as 29-year-old Jill Maiorca.
Jeff Maiorca, 53, was arrested Sept. 21 in connection with Jill Maiorca’s death, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Court records cited by news organizations show he was formally charged with murder and an allegation involving the use of a deadly weapon. Authorities say evidence developed during the investigation indicates Jill Maiorca was killed in November 2006, although she was not reported missing from Big Bear Lake until 2007.
The investigation began years later, on Oct. 28, 2020, when deputies from the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station responded to a residence in the 39000 block of Forest Road after a suspicious discovery was reported in a crawlspace. Deputies and Big Bear Fire Department personnel searched beneath the home and recovered unidentified human remains. An autopsy determined the death was a homicide, but investigators were initially unable to establish the person’s identity.
The remains stayed unidentified despite DNA testing and other investigative work. In 2023, the Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Homicide Team took over the investigation and submitted them for additional DNA analysis. That testing ultimately identified the remains as Jill Maiorca. Sheriff Shannon Dicus said investigators were able to determine her identity through the DNA work and came to believe she had been killed in 2006, before she was reported missing the following year.
Authorities said Jill Maiorca’s remains had been concealed beneath the Forest Road residence without the homeowner’s knowledge. Investigators have not publicly explained how the remains came to be beneath that property or established publicly that Jill Maiorca was killed there. ABC7 reported that investigators found no connection between Jill Maiorca and the cabin where her remains were discovered. The circumstances surrounding how and when the remains were placed beneath the home remain part of the investigation.
After Jill Maiorca was identified, detectives continued examining her disappearance and death and eventually identified Jeff Maiorca as a suspect, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Public court records reviewed by news organizations show that he had filed for divorce from Jill Maiorca in Los Angeles County in 2004. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive or provided a detailed account of the evidence they say connects him to the killing.
Jeff Maiorca was taken into custody without incident and initially booked into the Big Bear Jail on suspicion of murder, authorities said. Subsequent court and custody records cited by news organizations showed him being held without bail at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto. His arrest and charges are allegations, and the criminal case has not resulted in a determination of guilt.
His initial court appearance was held Sept. 23. Reports citing San Bernardino County Superior Court records say the case includes a murder charge and a deadly weapon allegation. A hearing that had been expected that day was continued, with another court appearance scheduled for Oct. 12. Court records cited in recent reports did not identify an attorney representing him.
The case spans about two decades from the time investigators now believe Jill Maiorca was killed. She was reported missing in 2007, the unidentified remains were discovered in 2020, and the cold case team began additional DNA work in 2023. The identification gave detectives a name to connect to the previously unidentified homicide victim and allowed them to investigate her disappearance and death as part of the same case.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department says the homicide investigation remains ongoing. Detectives have not publicly announced a motive or explained the specific evidence that led them to Jeff Maiorca. His next reported court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 12 as the criminal case moves forward.
Author note: Last updated September 27, 2026.